Firing from 2nd line

[spity]

The situation is as on diagram

|00|
|AB|
|CD|
|00|
|00|
|00|
|XY|
|00|

where | - wall of corridor
0 - empty space
A & B - archers
C & D - front line of party (fighters, clerics, barbarians ...)
X & Y - enemies

Q1: Can A and B fire missle weapons at X and Y, and if can with what penalties (cover from C and D ...) ?

Q2: If the situation is as on next diagrams does anything changes?
|00|
|AB|
|00|
|CD|
|00|
|00|
|00|
|XY|
|00|

or

|00|
|AB|
|00|
|00|
|CD|
|00|
|00|
|XY|
|00|

Q3: (OT) When spelcaster uses rays or other spells with ranged touch attack, does he uses melee attack bonus (Bab + str modifier), as for touch attack spells (kinda stupid, i guess); or he uses ranged attack bonus (BaB + dex modifier)

 

[Vahktang]

First off, nice Diagram.

From what I understand, as long as C & D and X & Y are not actually in melee, A & B can fire at no penalty to their heart's content.
In the six second rounds that these things take, C & D are assumed to flatten, or A & B are assumed to wait for that clear shot, even without precise shot.

If you want relalistic, D & D is not the game for you.


More later,

Vahktang

 

[Drommon]

The situation is as on diagram

|00|
|AB|
|CD|
|00|
|00|
|00|
|XY|
|00|

where | - wall of corridor
0 - empty space
A & B - archers
C & D - front line of party (fighters, clerics, barbarians ...)
X & Y - enemies

Q1: Can A and B fire missle weapons at X and Y, and if can with what penalties (cover from C and D ...) ?

Q2: If the situation is as on next diagrams does anything changes?
|00|
|AB|
|00|
|CD|
|00|
|00|
|00|
|XY|
|00|

or

|00|
|AB|
|00|
|00|
|CD|
|00|
|00|
|XY|
|00|

Q3: (OT) When spelcaster uses rays or other spells with ranged touch attack, does he uses melee attack bonus (Bab + str modifier), as for touch attack spells (kinda stupid, i guess); or he uses ranged attack bonus (BaB + dex modifier)

From the SRD:

To determine whether your target has cover from your ranged attack, choose a corner of your square. If any line from this corner to any corner of the target’s square passes through a square or border that blocks line of effect or provides cover, or through a square occupied by a creature, the target has cover (+4 to AC).



Drommon

 

[Zaruthustran]

From what I understand, as long as C & D and X & Y are not actually in melee, A & B can fire at no penalty to their heart's content.
In the six second rounds that these things take, C & D are assumed to flatten, or A & B are assumed to wait for that clear shot, even without precise shot.
Vahktang

Alas, that is a misunderstanding.

C&D provide cover from the attacks of A&B.

What does this mean, in game terms?

X and Y get a +4 boost to armor class.

If C&D advance and engage X&Y in melee, then that's a whole other issue. Assuming that A&B don't have Precise Shot, they take a -4 penalty to their attacks.

That's a value of 8 modifier to shoot at a target engaged in melee that has cover: +4 to the target's AC, -4 to the attacker's attack roll.

For details, check your handy Player's Handbook or System Reference Document. Here's a link:
http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/v35/CombatII.rtf

-z